Ithaca Shakespeare Company Brings the Bard to the Big Screen

The Ithaca Shakespeare Company and Cinemapolis are pleased to announce a new film series entitled “Shakespeare The Rest Of The Year.” The series will run once a month from September to May, with each screening beginning at 7 pm.

The series features classic presentations of Shakespeare plays, alongside adaptations based on a Shakespeare work. Leading off on September 20th is Joss Whedon’s interpretation of Much Ado About Nothing.October 18th bringsJulius Caesar, the 1953 classic presentation featuring Marlon Brando. November 15th finds Macbeth adapted to modern times in Scotland PA. The 2017 screenings come to a close on December 20th with a SPECIAL SING-ALONG screening of the incomparable adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story. Shakespeare, Bernstein, and Sondheim – a present to kick off the holiday season!

In 2018, the series has three offerings. Spring comes in like a lion as March 21st finds the epic on-screen/offscreen love/hate relationship that is Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton performing The Taming Of The Shrew. Things turns tragic on April 18th, as Kenneth Branagh’s Othello lights up the screen, and the series closes off for Summer on May 9th with Al Pacino’s powerhouse appearance in The Merchant Of Venice.

Many of these special screenings will include presentations from film and theatre experts to help put the Bard’s work in a contemporary context.

Actual performance months and titles may vary based on the Shakespeare Company’s live production schedules in 2018, and film availability.

Ithaca Shakespeare Company’s Executive Director Gary Reinbolt says, “Our outdoor performances have become a summer tradition. This year, we received many requests for us to offer more Shakespeare to our loyal audiences. While we pride ourselves on being a performance company of live theater, financial realities often make it difficult to commit to an all live season. However, great Shakespeare is great Shakespeare, no matter what form it takes so we are pleased that Cinemapolis is willing to partner with us to provide the Master’s work the rest of the year.”

“Partnering with other arts organizations and non-profits is one our favorite things to do at the cinema,” says Cinemapolis executive director Brett Bossard. “It’s a great way to remind new audiences, and ourselves, that we’re more than just a movie theater—we’re a community cultural institution where the art of film is used to enrich people’s lives, grapple with and illuminate contemporary issues, and, of course, to entertain.”

Both the Ithaca Shakespeare Company and Cinemapolis, while partially supported by ticket sales, rely on additional support from its audiences.

The Ithaca Shakespeare company is dedicated to making Shakespeare clear and exciting to everyone.For more information on the Shakespeare company’s activities visit their website: ithacashakespeare.org, or email them at info@ithacashakespeare.org